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Your University, Your City

Since its founding in 1906, Suffolk University has made a commitment to provide its students with unparalleled experiences and opportunities. Explore our unique downtown Boston location, and then consider the many paths your life might take from here.

Getting Started

We’re excited that you want to learn more about Suffolk, and we think you’ll like what you find. Whether you’re looking into colleges or graduate school programs, we’re eager to help answer your questions and walk you through the application process.

No Boundaries

A Community of Learning

As you start your academic journey, you’ll find a supportive network of faculty, staff, and classmates ready to help you succeed. We let you chart the course your education takes, from traditional classes enriched by real-world experiences to research projects, study abroad, internships, and more.

Life As We Know It

Suffolk places you smack in the heart of Boston, with countless activities at hand and unexpected opportunities around every corner. Whether you’re commuting or living on campus, you’ll find yourself making connections and getting involved.

An Extended Family

When you graduate from Suffolk, you join a strong alumni community that will continue to enrich your life. More than 70,000 living Suffolk alumni stay connected with each other and the University, supporting their alma mater—including current students—in a whole bunch of ways.

Michael Smith, BSBA '61, and Larry Smith, BSBA '65 have pledged $3 million to support Suffolk’s athletics program and to further their student scholarship funding.

Whether you're a student-athlete, an alum, or just looking for the latest game times, you'll find plenty of excitement in Suffolk athletics. We believe that athletic participation and competition are important aspects of the college experience. Lessons discovered through athletic participation contribute to success in a student's college years as well as in their future professional and personal experiences.

Invest in Excellence

Each graduate and friend of Suffolk University has the potential to make Suffolk even greater. We encourage giving at every level, with an emphasis on scholarships for a new generation of Suffolk students. Thank you so much for your support.

Section Five: Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

Teacher-scholars are engaged in teaching; scholarship, research, creative and/or professional activities; and service to the University, the profession and the community. Teacher-scholars are dedicated, hardworking professionals who are expected to put forth exceptional efforts, inside and outside the classroom, for the benefit of their students, discipline, school and the University. Suffolk University supports and defends the academic freedom of faculty members. As privileged members of the University, important role models for students, and participants in civic, social, and professional communities faculty members must adhere to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.

As a general guideline, it is expected that faculty members will spend their working time on teaching, scholarship and service. Each department and/or school will develop clearly defined work-load expectations for faculty members across the three responsibilities of teaching, scholarship and service. Individual faculty members in any year may be assigned a work load allocation different from the school and/or department norms provided that the faculty member is meeting the expectations and needs within their school and department reflective of their position as determined by the dean.

A. Teaching and Advising

1. Teaching Load.

The normal teaching load for faculty varies from school to school and is detailed in the school-specific sections of this handbook. Based on the expected workload, the department chair or dean, in consultation with the faculty member, assigns individual faculty members to courses based on curricular and student need. Faculty members may be assigned to evening courses as part of their regular teaching load. Faculty members are not required to teach during the summer term, intercession or spring break week. Upon the request or consent of the faculty member, a dean may count the teaching of summer term, intercession, spring break, or other irregularly timed courses toward a faculty member’s teaching load requirement.

2. Course Cancellations

The dean or chair should establish minimum enrollment levels for courses and share that information with faculty members assigned to such courses. If enrollment does not meet the minimum level, the dean may cancel the course. If a faculty member’s scheduled course is canceled, he or she should expect to be assigned an alternative course in that semester or an additional course in a subsequent semester.

3. Overloads

With the approval of the dean, a faculty member who is already assigned to teach the maximum course load per year may be allowed to teach additional courses. However, in no case may a faculty member be allowed to teach overloads that would lead them to be compensated over 133% of the annual salary identified in her or his letter of appointment. The acceptance of a teaching overload by a faculty member does not diminish or reduce his or her responsibilities with regard to research or service.

4. Teaching Expectations

Each faculty member is responsible for designing and conducting courses at the appropriate level within the context of the school’s or department’s curriculum; creating a classroom environment conducive to student learning; meeting the course’s stated learning objectives; providing timely feedback on course assignments; preparing and implementing appropriate assessment tools and efficiently managing the course.

a. Syllabi: Faculty will provide students in each class with a syllabus containing the course’s learning objectives, descriptions of the materials to be covered, required readings, course policies, and course requirements. Faculty should employ the syllabus template.

b. Class Meetings: Faculty members are expected to conduct all of their classes at the place and times assigned. Absent faculty members must notify the department chair and/or registrar as required under the specific school policy described in the school-specific sections of this handbook. If a faculty member is absent from regularly scheduled classes, the faculty member is responsible for ensuring there is sufficient coverage of the classroom material either through make-up classes, substitution of instructors or alternative instruction methods. If the faculty member is unable to do so, he or she must consult with the department chair and/or dean to obtain appropriate coverage for the course.

c. Credit Hour Fulfillment: Each faculty member is responsible for conducting class in a manner that demonstrably complies with the U.S. Department of Education’s “credit hour” definition.

A credit hour is defined as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutional established equivalence that reasonably approximates no less than:

i. One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction plus a minimum of two hours of student work out of the classroom each week for fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or

ii. At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (i) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of a credit hour.”

While it is the University’s responsibility to provide sufficient classroom space for a faculty member to meet the credit hour requirement, it is the responsibility of the faculty member to supply the minimum time of instruction required.

d. Final Examinations: If a course has an examination, all faculty members are expected to give the final examination when scheduled. The faculty member may not cancel or change the date of the final examination without approval of the department chair and/or the dean and the registrar. In courses that do not require a final examination, the faculty member is responsible for the appropriate use of the scheduled class time (including the time scheduled during the exam period in the CAS and SBS) for teaching and assessments. Each school and/or department will retain final exams to comply with applicable accrediting organizations.

e. Grades: Course grades must be submitted by the deadline set by the registrar. Grades should be submitted electronically. Once submitted, a student’s grade cannot be changed unless there was a demonstrable calculation or transcription error in the grading process. The procedures for changing grades in each school are described in the school-specific sections of this handbook.

f. Office Hours: All faculty members are expected to schedule appropriate office hours for each class taught each week while classes are in session. Office hours must be scheduled in advance and at particular times when the faculty member will be present when the students are most able to utilize them. Faculty members must list office hours, the faculty member’s email address, office phone number and office location on the course syllabus and in other appropriate ways to insure student accessibility to the faculty member.

g. Assessments of Learning Outcomes: Faculty members must employ assessment methodologies that fairly evaluate students regarding the stated course goals and objectives. Assessment procedures should allow students to demonstrate their command of material covered and the assignments given. Assessments should, in accordance with the University’s obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other state and federal laws and policies, be made in formats that are accessible to all students.

h. Academic Advising and Mentoring: Academic advising and mentoring are critical for student success and all faculty members are expected to dedicate time to these activities as an important aspect of teaching responsibilities. Faculty members, when advising and/or mentoring should follow student-centered learning principles just as they would in teaching the subject matter of a course. Advising and mentoring are aspects of the regular teaching load of faculty members. The specific requirements for advising and mentoring by faculty members are further described in the school-specific sections of this handbook.

i. Faculty Monitoring of Student Attendance: Federal regulations require universities that receive Title IV federal funding to implement a policy monitoring student attendance in class. Each faculty member is required to implement the University student attendance policy, responsible for informing students of this requirement at the beginning of each course, and tracking student attendance. Faculty may only allow students who are registered for a course to attend.

B. Scholarship--Research, Creative Endeavors, Professional Activities

The University recognizes that research, creative endeavors, and/or professional activities are an integral part of faculty life. Excellence in teaching requires faculty members to remain current in their fields. Scholarly research, creative work, and/or professional work is expected as part of the normal workload for all tenured, tenure-track and other faculty as described in this handbook. The school-specific requirements of scholarship for faculty are further defined in the school-specific sections of this handbook.

C. Service

Service activities draw on faculty skills, knowledge, and experience in order to maintain the central role of faculty regarding academic and University matters. Additionally, in order for faculty to have a meaningful role in the University’s shared governance system, those able to serve the community must do so as part of their responsibilities as a member of the faculty. Faculty service helps all members of the University community achieve their individual and collective goals.

The vitality of the University is predicated on faculty participation in a broad range of operational matters, outreach events and ceremonial occasions. Additionally, faculty members participate in shared University governance by serving on various departmental, school or University committees. Faculty members are obligated to attend department and school faculty meetings, University convocation (CAS and SBS), school commencement, and other University ceremonial events. It is important that faculty also serve the broader community, therefore service also includes efforts to the profession or discipline (e.g., editorial boards, professional committees).

D. Faculty Conduct – Statement of Responsibility and Ethics

Civil Conduct. Faculty members have an obligation to treat students, staff and colleagues with civility and respect and to foster a stimulating and productive learning environment in which the pros and cons of debatable issues are fairly acknowledged. Faculty should nurture and protect intellectual freedom for their students and colleagues.

Discriminatory conduct including harassment based on such factors as race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law is unacceptable in the University community. Faculty members must act in accordance with the University Equal Opportunity Policy. Further, faculty members should seek to make the University a welcoming community for all students and should be sensitive to the harmful consequences of professorial or student conduct or comments in classroom discussions or elsewhere that perpetuates stereotypes or prejudices involving such factors.

Proper Attribution of Other’s Work. A basic responsibility of any community of higher education is to refine, extend, and transmit knowledge. When another's scholarship is used, whether that of another published author, professional colleague or student, it should be fairly summarized and candidly acknowledged. Attribution of work should include proper attribution of one’s own previously published work. Significant contributions require acknowledgment in every context in which ideas are exchanged. Publication permits at least three ways of doing this: shared authorship, attribution by footnote or endnote, and discussion of another's contribution within the main text. Plagiarism by faculty members is a serious breach of professional ethics and incompatible with faculty responsibilities.

Duty to Independently Participate in Governance. Although professional administrators assume many duties within modern universities, the faculty retains substantial collective responsibility to provide institutional leadership. Individual faculty members have a responsibility to assume a fair share of that leadership, including the duty to serve as members on and chair faculty committees and to participate in faculty deliberations. Matters of University governance deserve the exercise of independent judgment by each voting member of the faculty. It is inappropriate for a faculty member to apply any brand of pressure other than persuasion on the merits in an effort to influence the vote of another member of the faculty.

Privacy and Confidentiality Policies. Faculty members must comply with all laws, institutional rules and policies requiring confidentiality concerning oral or written communications. Such laws, rules and policies frequently exist with respect to personnel matters and evaluations of student performance. If there is a doubt whether such a law, rule or policy effects a particular communication, a faculty member should seek clarification with the department chair or dean.

E. Employment Outside the University

Faculty members must consult with their chair or dean before they engage in outside employment that has any potential to interfere with their responsibilities as a faculty member. Additional restrictions may apply in specific schools as outlined in the school-specific sections of this handbook. In no case is a faculty member allowed to teach a course or participate in sponsored research or a sponsored program at another school, college or university without the permission of the dean. All compensated external employment must be reported in each faculty member’s annual review.

F. Non-Fraternization Policy

Individuals in positions of power must be aware that romantic or sexual relationships with students are fraught with danger for exploitation and pose a legal risk to both the individual and the University.

There are special risks in any sexual or romantic relationship between individuals in inherently unequal positions of power. These relationships may be subject to concerns about the validity of consent and unfair treatment of students or employees. Such relationships can undermine the atmosphere of trust essential to the educational process and the employment relationship. They may be less consensual than the individual whose position confers power believes. The apparent consensual nature of the relationship is inherently suspect due to the fundamental asymmetry of power in the relationship and it thus may be difficult to establish consent as a defense to an allegation of sexual harassment. The greater the institutional power differential that exists, the greater risk there is for exploited consent. Exploited consent exists when consent to a relationship is given as a function of the position of power one person occupies over another within an institution. Even when both parties consented at the outset to a romantic or sexual involvement, this past consent does not remove grounds for or preclude a charge or subsequent finding of sexual harassment based upon subsequent unwelcome conduct.

Romantic and/or sexual conduct between a faculty member and a student enrolled at the University may violate the faculty member's ethical obligation to the student and to the student body as a whole, may create a conflict of interest, and may contribute to a hostile environment for other students. Therefore such relationships are prohibited.

Faculty members must notify the dean of their school of any relationship that pre-exists the enrollment in the University of the student member of the relationship that would otherwise be prohibited by this policy.
A violation of this provision by a faculty member constitutes a violation of the University’s Equal Opportunity Policy and will subject the faculty member to appropriate sanctions, up to and including termination of employment.

G. Intellectual Property Policy

The University encourages and supports the teaching, research, creative endeavors, and professional activities of the faculty. To foster these activities and support its mission as a talent catalyst, the University acknowledges faculty ownership in faculty-created course materials and works of scholarship. The University may be considered a joint author where a work is created with the substantial use of University resources. The University may also assert an exclusive copyright interest where a work is created or commissioned for use by the University (fee for service); or created under the terms of a sponsored project where the terms of the project require the copyright be owned by the University.

With respect to potentially patentable inventions or discoveries, the University will assert a limited ownership interest only where the invention was made by an employee (1) within the scope of his or her employment, (2) while working on a sponsored project, or (3) with the substantial use of University resources. If the University pursues a patent for the invention, the University will share royalties on a 50-50 basis with the inventor-employee, after the costs of the patents are recovered, or on the percentage of royalties as established in existing external agreements. See the University’s Intellectual Property Policy.

H. Faculty Actionable Conduct

Faculty members are assumed to be diligent and professional in their teaching, scholarship and service efforts. However, a faculty member who engages in conduct incompatible with the responsibilities of serving as a faculty member may be subject to sanctions, up to and including dismissal. Faculty actionable conduct can take many forms including:

A pattern of neglect of duty (including a failure to fulfill the terms of the faculty member’s appointment and/or to meet the obligations as a faculty member set forth in this handbook);

A pattern of conduct, exclusive of protected speech, that is disruptive to the operation of the school or University;

Professional misconduct, including but not limited to plagiarism and research misconduct;

Material misrepresentation in securing an appointment or promotion;

Failure to maintain personal levels of skill and information at least equivalent to those recognized as necessary for academic employment in the discipline by its national association or accrediting bodies;

The final conviction of, or guilty plea to, a state or federal felony;

Disbarment from the practice of law; and/or

Discrimination or harassment.

Reports of actionable conduct should be made to that faculty member’s dean. Reports of discrimination or harassment should be made to the chief human resources officer.

If the dean determines that the reported conduct or the faculty member poses an immediate threat to the proper administration and operation of the University, the faculty member may be placed on an administrative leave and removed from all duties at the University, while a final decision is made regarding the alleged actionable conduct. In this event, the faculty member shall be notified of the reason for the removal and given an opportunity to respond. However, where such a process is not, in the opinion of the dean, reasonable or possible, the failure to meet with the faculty member will not invalidate the decision.

If a report of actionable conduct relating to the standards to be considered in a tenure and/or promotion process is brought against a faculty member who is undergoing review for tenure and/or promotion, the process for tenure and/or promotion will be suspended pending a final decision on the report regarding actionable conduct. A determination of actionable conduct relating to the standards to be considered in a promotion or tenure review will be considered relevant in a promotion or tenure review.

1. Sanctions

Sanctions for actionable conduct may include, but are not limited to:

Minor sanctions:

a warning or reprimand, oral or written:

a period of suspension, with pay;

removal of specific privileges, such as travel funding or sabbatical.

Major sanctions:

a period of suspension without pay;

a reduction in salary;

a reduction in rank;

dismissal.

Major sanctions are reserved for those situations in which there is just cause. Just cause exists in those circumstances in which a faculty member engages in conduct that demonstrates gross neglect of duty, unfitness in one’s professional capacity, or an unusually serious or sudden case of gross personal misconduct. If a faculty member continues to engage in actionable conduct after a prior written sanction, that may be considered as just cause.

2. Investigation.

The dean or designee shall investigate the report of actionable conduct and determine whether the report is supported and whether a sanction is warranted. Such investigation will include an interview with the affected faculty member. The faculty member will have an opportunity to identify individuals that she or he believes have relevant information. The investigation shall be complete within 45 days of the initial report of actionable conduct. If the actionable conduct includes allegations of discrimination, the chief human resources officer or designee shall investigate the allegations either with or without the dean or designee.

3. Proceedings after Investigation

The dean shall determine, upon completion of the investigation, whether a sanction will be imposed. If a sanction will be imposed, the dean shall send the faculty member a written notice which shall set forth the report of actionable conduct, the findings and the sanction to be imposed.

4. Appeal of Sanctions.

a) If the faculty member disagrees with the sanction she or he may, within fourteen days of the receipt of the written notice, request that the provost reverse or modify the sanction to be imposed. The provost shall thereafter meet with the faculty member to discuss the actionable conduct and the sanction. By agreement with the faculty member, the provost may hold other meetings with the faculty member and the dean and/or others to reach an agreed-upon resolution. The provost shall send the faculty member a written decision within five working days of the final meeting explaining whether she or he is reversing or modifying the sanction.

b) If the faculty member disagrees with any decision to impose a major sanction, the faculty member may appeal that decision in writing by submitting a notice of appeal to the provost, within fourteen days of the receipt of the Provost’s written decision. Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, and as soon as practicable, the provost shall convene a hearing panel, which will be composed of three faculty members: one member will be selected by the faculty member, one will be selected by the provost, and one will be chosen by lot from the faculty Senate. None of the panel members will be from the same department as the sanctioned faculty member. Any faculty member who believes that he or she has a conflict of interest shall decline the request to serve on the hearing panel. The faculty members on the hearing panel shall designate one individual to serve as the chair of the hearing panel.

5. Hearing Proceedings.

The Faculty member shall be provided in advance of the hearing with all information considered when imposing the sanction. The chair of the hearing panel shall preside over the hearing to determine the order of procedure during the hearing; assure that all interested parties have the opportunity to participate; assure that all participants have a reasonable opportunity to present and substantiate their arguments; and maintain civility. The proceedings need not follow rules related to court proceedings. The faculty member will have the right to present arguments and evidence on his or her own behalf. Both the faculty member and the University shall have the right to be represented by counsel at the hearing. The dean or his or her designee will bear the burden of establishing that the faculty member engaged in actionable conduct.

All hearings will be recorded and that recording will be made available to the faculty member at the conclusion of the proceedings.

In the event that the actionable conduct includes allegations of discrimination, the University will ensure that the faculty members who serve on the hearing panel receive appropriate training regarding investigation of such allegations

The hearing panel shall prepare a written summary of findings, including a recommendation by majority vote of the panel members regarding whether to impose any sanction. The hearing panel shall endeavor to conduct the hearing and complete its written summary within 45 days of notice from the provost of the need to convene a hearing panel. However, if the hearing panel determines that additional time is necessary to complete its report, it will notify the provost and the faculty member of the anticipated completion date.

The hearing panel shall submit its report to the president for final disposition, and shall also submit a copy of the report to the faculty member. Within fourteen days from receipt of the report, the president shall make a decision. If the decision of the president is different than the recommendation of the hearing panel, the president shall set forth in writing the reasons for rejection of that recommendation. The president shall send a written notice of the final decision to the faculty member.

The final decision of the president is binding and shall not be subject to further review at the University.